RIYADH: Saudi Arabia-based Italian restaurant La Rustica Pizzeria has opened a pop-up in Marbella, Spain, following its success within the Kingdom.
La Rustica Pizzeria opened its doorways in January 2016 as a novel Italian restaurant serving genuine Neapolitan pizza in Riyadh.
It was co-founded by the Saudi couple Najla Al-Radadi and Sultan Al-Shmassy, keen about Italian delicacies.
The Marbella pop-up began in June and can run till September as a collaborative idea with an current Italian restaurant in Marbella known as Incontro.
The restaurant, situated in Centro Comercial Cristamar in Marbella, close to Puerto Banus, has acquired important optimistic suggestions.
Over the previous 5 years, La Rustica has appeared in rigorously chosen areas in Saudi Arabia, reminiscent of Alkhobar and Riyadh. Within the capital, it’s situated in Al-Olaya, the Diplomatic Quarter and shortly within the King Abdullah Monetary District. The Marbella pop-up is the primary website outdoors of Saudi Arabia for the restaurant.
Al-Radadi and Al-Shmassy advised Arab Information; “For being the primary to introduce Neapolitan pizza to Riyadh, La Rustica stands out. It was a threat to make the primary transfer, particularly since we’ve to import 90% of our merchandise and substances – together with the wood-fired oven – from Italy.”
The informal eating restaurant serves genuine Neapolitan pizza made with long-fermented dough, tomatoes and recent buffalo mozzarella. Prospects may take pleasure in a variety of appetizers, salads, pasta, steak, desserts and low.
The vibes of La Rustica’s Marbella location mimic these of a easy pizzeria with a country really feel and the familiarity of a bona fide Italian kitchen in Naples.
The co-founders stated Marbella was chosen for the pop-up for a number of causes.
“Our buyer section in Riyadh primarily covers individuals who spend their summer season holidays in Marbella. It is a world summer season hub the place we will expose the style of La Rustica to extra prospects world wide.”
The restaurant began as a household enterprise with 10 indoor tables and minimal menu choices. It was ardour that drove the homeowners to start out the enterprise and introduce Neapolitan pizza to Riyadh.
“It began slowly, however phrase of mouth has been a robust device that La Rustica Pizzeria has had since its institution in 2016. Quickly sufficient, we gained folks’s belief and had been capable of meet our goal market prospects with the assistance of those that -they had been loyal. us.”
Since then, La Rustica has managed to take care of consistency in meals, service and presentation. “This has grow to be a hit due to our intention to advertise authenticity not solely with the meals, but additionally with the method to restaurant design, fit-out and all the setting itself,” they stated.
The couple’s challenges in opening in Marbella are many, however the principle ones are “understanding native Spanish laws, the tax system, discovering the appropriate companion and pitching our idea to native Spanish tastes,” they stated.
Opening in Marbella has been a terrific success story for everybody at La Rustica, particularly those that have labored onerous during the last six years to make the restaurant thrive in Riyadh.
